Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of September 16, 2024
Washington,
September 20, 2024
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Appropriations On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing called "Inspectors General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)." Members of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee convened with the Inspectors General (IG) from the Department of Housing, the Department of Transportation, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to carry out essential oversight. The subcommittee focused on ensuring the IGs receive timely information from the agencies they oversee, evaluating their security measures and firewall operations, and examining how these agencies deliver meaningful oversight for the American public.  Armed Services On Monday, September 16, the Armed Services Committee held a full committee field hearing in Silicon Valley on Department of Defense acquisition pathways and innovation efforts. Over the years, Congress has given DoD many authorities to expedite the fielding of innovative technology, yet problems continue to persist. As the members heard at the hearing, speed matters. To deter China, we must ensure that the U.S. remains at the forefront of innovation and that our warfighters have access to the newest and best technology.  On Wednesday, September 18, the Armed Services Committee held a full committee hearing on the recommendations of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy. As their report outlined, the threats facing the U.S. are more complex and dangerous than anything we’ve faced in 80 years, and we are not prepared. Ensuring our military has the resources and authorities they need to deter these threats is vital for keeping our nation safe.  On Thursday, September 19, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, held a hearing on extremism policies in the Army in the wake of a Ft. Liberty training that wrongfully labeled pro-life organizations as terrorist groups. In his opening statement, Rep. Banks warned of the harm the Army’s overly broad policies could inflict, “the Army is using an overly broad policy to police the speech of conservative service members, quiet dissent, and require service members who believe in conservative ideals to hide their identities for fear of retaliation from their commands.” Budget On Thursday, September 19, the Budget Committee held a full committee hearing called “The Cost of the Biden-Harris Energy Crisis.”   Education and the Workforce On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing called “Examining the Biden-Harris Attacks on Tipped Workers.” The hearing looked at the Biden-Harris administration’s harmful rule that restricted the tip credit—a tool used in the service industry to maximize take-home pay for tipped workers. Under this system, employers can count a portion of an employee’s tips towards the employer’s obligation to meet the federal minimum wage. This allows employers to give competitive wages to untipped backroom employees like dishwashers, while tipped workers remain well-paid. In fact, the median wage for full-service restaurant wait staff employees is around $27 per hour. An overwhelming number of service workers support the current tipped credit system, and government-mandated wage hikes do not help workers, businesses, or customers. Yet, Democrats still claim they know best about how others should earn a living, which continued to be their theme throughout the hearing.   Energy and Commerce On Wednesday, September 18, the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a full committee markup of 15 bills to extend telehealth services for seniors, repeal harmful regulations that are jeopardizing America’s economic and energy security, and provide significant protections and safeguards to date for children online.
On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce held a hearing called "Federal Trade Commission Practices: A Discussion on Past Versus Present." Members discussed how the FTC’s shift away from its bipartisan history is negatively impacting Americans daily lives, consumer safety, and the success of American businesses across the country. Financial Services Last week, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) and Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy Subcommittee Chairman Andy Barr (KY-06) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting the Office assist in evaluating federal banking agencies’ memberships in the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). Committee Republicans are ensuring American involvement with these organizations is transparent to protect U.S. competitiveness, as well as the safety and soundness of our financial system. On Tuesday, September 17, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga (MI-04) appeared before the House Committee on Rules to testify in support of H.R. 4790, the Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act. H.R. 4790 is a reflection of the combined efforts of Subcommittee Chairman Huizenga and Reps. Bryan Steil (WI-01), Ralph Norman (SC-05), and Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) to strengthen our financial system, preserve the dominance of U.S. capital markets, and protect the financial interests of investors and retirement savers from radical ESG initiatives. On Tuesday, September 17, the House passed H.R. 7438, S. 2825, and S. 2861 to mint a commemorative coin in honor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and award the Congressional Gold Medal to Billie Jean King and Vietnam War “Dustoff” crews.  On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion, led by Chairman French Hill (AR-02), held a hearing called "Dazed and Confused: Breaking Down the SEC’s Politicized Approach to Digital Assets." Members railed against SEC enforcement abuse which makes it hard for legitimate actors who are trying to follow the rules to bring innovation and technology to our markets.  On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions, led by Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03), held a hearing called "Protecting Americans' Savings: Examining the Economics of the Multi-Billion Dollar Romance Confidence Scam Industry." Lawmakers sounded the alarm on the dangers of romance confidence scams and the ways in which Congress can help to address this troubling issue. On Wednesday, September 18, Chairman McHenry joined House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06) in sending a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler. The Congressmen are seeking clarity on the regulatory classification of digital asset airdrops. On Thursday, September 19, Subcommittee Chairman Huizenga led Republicans on the House floor as lawmakers debated H.R. 4790, the Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act. House Republicans are fighting back against the rogue Democrat-appointed regulators forcing companies to waste their limited time and resources on ESG mandates that have little to do with a firm’s financial performance. On Thursday, September 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4790, the Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act, sponsored by the Financial Services Committee’s Republican ESG Working Group leader, Subcommittee Chairman Huizenga. House Republicans are taking action to protect the financial system, workers, job creators, and everyday investors from radical ESG initiatives.  Foreign Affairs On Wednesday, September 18, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Great Power Competition in the Indo-Pacific." Members questioned the witness over China's support for Russia's industrial base, the ongoing situation in the South China Sea, and highlighted China's malign influence throughout the indo pacific region.” On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on Oversight & Accountability held a hearing called "Money is Policy, Part II: Analyzing Select State Department Grant Awards." During the hearing, State department officials were questioned on the foreign assistance grants successes and failures within the Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration, the Office to Monitor Trafficking in persons, and the Office of International Religious Freedom. On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia held a hearing called "Israel and the Middle East at a Crossroads: How Tehran’s Terror Campaign Threatens the U.S. and our Allies." Members discussed regional developments since Hamas’ brutal October 7th attack on Israel, and the threat posed by Iran and its proxies to regional and national security. On Friday, September 20, the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a hearing called "Maduro Stole the Elections Again: The Response to Fraud in Venezuela." Kevin Sullivan, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Brazil Southern Cone and Andean Affairs for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Enrique Roig, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Greg Howell, discussed the U.S. response to Nicolás Maduro's attempt to steal Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election. It is important to analyze the Biden administration’s failed response to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela and the implications of fraudulent elections on regional stability, democratic governance, and U.S. foreign policy.    Homeland Security On Wednesday, September 18, the Committee on Homeland Security held a full committee hearing entitled, “A Country Without Borders: How Biden-Harris’ Open-Borders Policies Have Undermined Our Safety and Security.” Witness testimony was provided by Aaron Heitke, retired chief patrol agent for the San Diego Sector; Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, the mother of five who was tragically murdered in Maryland last year by an illegal alien who entered as a gotaway; and Jim Desmond, a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.  The Committee also released a comprehensive new report documenting how President Joe Biden, Vice President and Biden-appointed “border czar” Kamala Harris, and other administration officials schemed together to open our borders, gut interior enforcement, and spark a historic flood of illegal immigration—from immediately after the 2020 election through the present day.  On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence and the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement held a joint hearing entitled, “Beyond the Border: Terrorism and Homeland Security Consequences of Illegal Immigration.” Members examined terror threats to the homeland as a consequence of the historic Biden-Harris border crisis.  House Administration On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Modernization held a hearing titled, “Continuity of Congress: Preparing for the Future by Learning from the Past.”  Judiciary On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called "Oversight of Homeland Security Investigations," to review for the first time Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) broad mission to keep Americans safe by examining their efforts to interdict fentanyl, protect Americans from cyber threats, and combat child exploitation, human trafficking and forced labor. On Thursday, September 19, the Judiciary Committee held a markup session to consider the following legislation:
 Natural Resources On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Thursday, September 19, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
  Oversight and Accountability On Wednesday, September 18, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a full committee markup to consider a series of bills to address transparency in the federal government, safeguard American taxpayer dollars, and streamline government processes. The Committee passed the following pieces of legislation:
   Rules On Tuesday, September 17, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
Additionally, pursuant to Section 3(h) of H. Res. 5, the Rules Committee held our Member Day for the 118th Congress. We heard from members across the political spectrum on their ideas for rules changes in the 119th Congress.    Science, Space, and Technology On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on Environment and the Subcommittee on Energy held a joint hearing called "Navigating the Blue Frontier: Evaluating the Potential of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Approaches." Witnesses from the public and private sectors joined to discuss the benefits and risks of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches as they relate to carbon capture and sequestration. The hearing also informed members on the research and development of this technology and addressed scientific gaps and deficiencies facing researchers and scientists today. Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party On Tuesday, September 17, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Congressman Greg Murphy M.D. (R-NC) sent a letter urging United States Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen to include U.S. Coast Guard facilities and other sensitive sites under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). On Tuesday September 17, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, alongside Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) Improvement Act of 2024. On Thursday, September 19, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party held a hearing called "How the CCP Uses the Law to Silence Critics and Enforce its Rule." Witnesses included Mr. Jamil Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director, National Security Institute, Ms. Anna Puglisi, Visiting Fellow, Stanford University Hoover Institution, Dr. Jill Goldenziel, Professor, National Defense University, College of Information and Cyberspace.    Small Business On Wednesday, September 18, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Holding the SBA Accountable: Testimony from Small Business Administrator Guzman." During the hearing, members questioned Small Business Administrator Guzman directly regarding the Agency’s failures to follow its mission statement, engage in partisan electioneering, and slow rolling congressional oversight.    Transportation and Infrastructure This week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a markup where Committee Members considered and approved 29 measures covering a broad range of the Committee’s jurisdiction. Issues addressed in the bills included ensuring federal agencies have the tools to detect and respond to threats posed by unlawful drone usage, increasing accountability and transparency at Amtrak, improving federal disaster preparedness and recovery programs, strengthening federal building security, improving motor carrier safety, protecting Good Samaritans working to clean up abandoned mine sites, and more.    On Thursday, September 19, 2024, Committee Members received a briefing from users of the maritime supply chain on the anticipated impacts of a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports. Veterans Affairs On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held an oversight hearing titled “Examining VA’s Challenges with Ensuring Quality Contracted Disability Compensation Examinations.” The hearing examined the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) policies and processes for overseeing contracted disability compensation examination vendors. Witness testimony revealed that exam vendors are held to rigid contractual requirements for timeliness, resulting in veterans being scheduled and rescheduled for the same exam by different vendors without a meaningful opportunity to provide availability and location preferences. Witness testimony also revealed “rampant” rework of contracted exams, and GOP Members questioned VA about how VA ensures that vendors are held accountable for low quality. GOP Members also questioned VA about inconsistencies in quality and customer service between vendors, as well as whether VA ensures that contracted exams are held to the same quality standards as exams performed by Veterans Health Administration examiners. Witnesses discussed the need for flexibility in scheduling; Subcommittee Chairman Luttrell questioned how VA can ensure balance between total flexibility and preventing long wait times for claims decisions; and, VA testified to considering reforms to ensure such flexibility.  On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Health held a markup on 10 bills, many of which would improve the healthcare and services offered to veterans. The bills considered included: an ANS to The No Wrong Door for Veterans Act (H.R. 9438), introduced by Chairwoman Miller-Meeks, which would expand the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program grant amounts; the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act (H.R. 9146), introduced by Rep. Franklin, which would require VA to consider continuity of care when deciding if community care is in the veteran's best medical interest; the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2024 (H.R. 9324), introduced by Rep. Womack, which would grant VA doctors authority to prescribe and distribute controlled substances via telehealth, regardless of if they have seen the patient in person or not; and the Veterans Supporting Prosthetics Opportunities and Recreational Therapy Act (H.R. 9478), introduced by Chairwoman Miller-Meeks, which would ensure the availability of adaptive sports and recreational prosthetic limbs by recognizing them as clinically necessary for the health and wellbeing of veterans suffering from limb loss. All of the bills considered were forwarded to the full committee. On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Health held an oversight hearing titled “Dial 988 +1: Examining the Operations of the Veterans Crisis Line.” Testifying for VA was Dr. Matt Miller, Executive Director of the Office of Suicide Prevention, Dr. Christopher Watson, Executive Director of the Veterans Crisis Line, and Mr. Brad Mills, Deputy Director of Unified Communications Operations. Dr. Miller testified about VA’s quality assurance and training for responders as well as their efforts to use the Veterans Crisis Line as a tool for suicide prevention. Testifying for the Office of Inspector General was Dr. Julie Kroviak, Principal Deputy Assistant Inspector General (OIG) for Healthcare Inspections. Dr. Kroviak testified about a recent OIG report on the implementation success and challenges of the Veterans Crisis Line as well as other IG reports detailing failures in leadership oversight and responder compliance with policies that may have contributed to veterans dying by suicide. The hearing examined VA’s operations and oversight of the Veterans Crisis Line, focusing on the period after 988 was adopted as the National Crisis Hotline in 2022. Members asked questions about the effectiveness and productivity of entirely remote responders as well as how veterans who have emergent needs are located and routed to the closest medical facility for care.  On Thursday, September 19, the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization held an oversight hearing titled “VA’s Open Cash Register: Fraud, Waste, Abuse and Revenue Operations.” During this hearing, the subcommittee examined the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Program Integrity Tool (PIT) which is used to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in community care claims payments as well as to bill insurance companies. Subcommittee members questioned VA’s witnesses about the impact of PIT’s 18-month outage, particularly on the $12 billion health care budget shortfall and the Department’s supplemental appropriations request. Chairman Rosendale asked the VA witnesses how the PIT shutdown affected VA’s medical collections, which support the medical care budget. The Office of Inspector General witness, Ms. McDonald, confirmed that nearly $1 billion in revenue was delayed, but the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Duke, maintained that VA collected 100.7% of planned revenue during this period. Chairman Rosendale distinguished between VA’s planned collections and the total amount due to VA from insurance companies, and highlighted the apparent discrepancy between Ms. Duke’s statements that it may take several years or more to capture this revenue but the budget shortfall is unaffected by this delay. The VA witnesses’ testimony cast doubt on PIT’s effectiveness, before and after its outage, in preventing fraud, waste, abuse, and improper payments. Representative Self questioned the VHA Chief of Integrity and Compliance, Ms. Davis-Bradley’s assertions and lack of evidence that VA has already been using other, more effective systems to accomplish this goal. Representative Mace scrutinized VA Chief Information Officer Kurt DelBene’s leadership decisions during PIT’s 18-month outage. Mr. DelBene explained that he became involved in efforts to restore PIT roughly a year into the outage. The hearing exposed significant shortcomings in VA's ability to safeguard community care claims payments from fraud and waste or to collect all the revenue due from insurance companies, suggesting it operates without adequate oversight or proper financial controls. Ways and Means On Wednesday, September 18, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing titled “Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment,” to examine the cost of chronic diseases overwhelming family budgets and federal health care spending. Witnesses testified to the need for better tools to manage their health, as well as the success of programs in various parts of Medicare – including innovative Medicare Advantage coverage options and value-based care delivery options – in improving patient health.  On Friday, September 20, the Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing titled “Protecting American Innovation by Establishing and Enforcing Strong Digital Trade Rules.” The hearing focused on how the Biden-Harris Administration has abandoned enforcement and accountability in digital trade, leading to a surrender of America’s innovative and technological leadership. Witnesses discussed how the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to surrender America’s leadership on digital trade has emboldened adversaries like China and encouraged Congress to use the enforcement tools at its disposal to protect American workers and businesses.  Ways & Means Tax Teams Update: Tax Teams Recap: 90 Site Visits, Roundtables and Counting, Ways and Means Tax Teams Leaders are Focused on Delivering Pro-Growth Tax Policy in 2025 Chairman Smith, joined by Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, and every Ways and Means Committee Republican, sent a letter to OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann expressing support for a lawsuit filed by the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce that challenges the new undertaxed profits rule (UTPR) and makes clear that should the OECD – in collusion with the Biden-Harris Administration and other countries – proceed with this aspect of the global minimum tax deal, Congress will be forced to pursue countermeasures to protect U.S. sovereignty and the fair treatment of American workers and businesses.  |